NEC N500: No, this is not the latest portable media player. Designed primarily for the Chinese market, the sizable 176 x 220 pixel display that dominates the N500's front is perfect for viewing photos. It's also touch sensitive and serves as an easy-to-use writing pad for inputting Chinese characters. Aside from this distinctive feature, the N500 resembles an entry-level phone, with a 300,000 pixel camera, no infrared, no Bluetooth, and only basic data applications. (Price: about $2,000)
Samsung YP-Z5: Already labeled as Korea's challenger to the iPod nano, the YP-Z5 isn't quite as thin and small as Apple's diminutive player, but offers some impressive improvements. Available in 2GB and 4GB versions, the YP-Z5 features a 4.5cm display, compared to the nano's 4cm screen, and comes with WMA video support and a battery that will lasts
38 hours - more than double the juice of the nano. (Price: available next month with list prices of US$199 and US$249)
Motorola H5 Miniblue: As you might guess from the absurd name, the H5 is blue and mini-sized. It will also be the smallest Bluetooth headset on the market when it launches in the near future. Instead of sporting a microphone that stretches to your month, the H5 incorporates
a new technology that catches your voice from inside your ear canal. This means the H5 is the size of an earplug. Despite its size, it offers only 7.5 hours of battery life. (Price: to be announced)